Girl Scouts Add New ‘Video Game’ Merit Patch

The award — which is being introduced by the Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles Council — is designed to introduce girls to the profession of game design, NBC News reports[2].

A representative for the Greater Los Angeles Council says that the organization has been discussing the awards for more than a year. In partnership with the Woman In Games International organization, the council wants to confront sexism in the video game business while making sure that girls don’t think they’re locked out of a growing industry.

Earlier this year, the Boy Scouts began awarding merit badges for video game design. However, because the Girl Scouts award is not yet officially recognized, it is considered a patch and not a merit badge. The award requires girls to learn how to program games rather than just design them. The Council is providing a custom version of developer tool Gamestar Mechanic for girls to work with.